Team Zero
by Stray Cat Blues
Summary: When three babies lose everything in the great shinobi war, they are saved by the Fourth Hokage and sent to Konoha. After the Kyuubi's attack it is decided they will become ninjas...Rated for lang more then anything. AUish
1. Team ZeroFirst Stage

Team Zero (A Naruto fic)

By

Stray Cat Blues

I do not own Naruto or any of the characters other then those of my own design.

-And welcome once again (to what is perhaps my most ambitious undertaking to date) to another fic by me the man formally known as Cappy, though known now as Stray Cat Blues. In any case I'm doing now what I once swore I'd never do, and that's an OC type fic… As you will guess by the names these OCs are in fact my somewhat often confused friends, one is just as much an anime fan as I, the other not so much. However both have inspired me to do this fic, as well as provided encouragement. Now this won't be your typical "drop the modern man and his X amount of friends into this world" type fic so don't worry. Now my friends who don't write by the way, have expressed a desire to not add commentary as of yet. So I, dear readers hope to encourage them to add their own comments along the way.

And now for what you really came here to see!-

P.S.- :Jan-27-07-1:30.am: As I was finishing up chapter three and starting on four, I remembered theres a foul word in here or two, now by foul word I mean my personal favorite the "F word" with runner up "Son of a ..." along with your standard course of hells, dammits and the like, I guess i should warn those out there who might take offense and all that jazz, now I'm not going to throw them around all that much but they are here and there in some chaps while in others maybe not appearing at all (and by them I mean my favorites, you can expect damn and hell pretty much every chapter ). Just thought I'd give you guys a heads up and all.

_Team Zero_

_Newborn Ninjas or Three babies and a nutcase_

Current OC cast.

Chris-Male, Light Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes, 5 months old

Davis- Male- Blonde Hair- Hazel Eyes- 4 months old

Reese-Male, Dark Brown Hair, Green Eyes- 5 Months old

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(During the great ninja war in which many ninjas and their clans were decimated in the fighting, several young ones became orphans, drifters whose fate was tied inexorably to the course and outcome of the war. At a time when many ninja villages were barring outsiders and those misplaced by the war. One village, the true victor of the war, allowed some of those who were orphaned by its actions to be raised and taught the ninja way within its own walls. Perhaps in a way for penance for the sins committed during war, perhaps a way to gain even more recruits...or simply the actions of a man who had a kind heart and the power to back his choices...This is a not so simple tale of three friends from three villages all touched by the war in the same way... Chris, the confident young one from the village of Rock, Davis the quiet boy from the village of Grass, and Reese the... second most unpredictable kid in the world from the village of Rain. Their clans destroyed, their parents and family gone from this earth, nothing left not even their names but the ones given to them by the victors of the war. This is their story of how three orphans who became friends who became brothers who became ninjas...for the hidden village of the Leaf …Konoha.)

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_A week after the Kyuubi Attack on Konoha _

_City still in mourning over the loss of the Fourth Hokage _

"Why the hell did we get stuck with this duty again?" whined nameless Chunin number one. "We should be out helping clean up the mess that fox made instead of baby sitting a bunch of foreign orphan brats..." He was silenced by an angry wave of the hand by, his also nameless Chunin companion. "You fool these kids are all that's left of the late Hokage's wishes, he wanted us to take in the clanless from the war and raise them as our own, you think to challenge his wisdom?"

Nameless Chunin number one simply shook his head and quieted his protests; it wasn't smart to badmouth ANY idea that the late village savior had, even the one to not outright kill the demon fox carrier. "I just...we don't even know if they have the ability to be ninjas, much less any bloodlines or clan names or anything, these kids don't even have a first name..." A smirk appeared on the second chunin's face. "That's why we have all those office ninja, they said they gave them names, but no last names, the Fourth wanted them to grow up and find some pretty village girls to marry so that the clan names are strictly Konoha made..."

"Sounds like a damn good idea to me, so lets get too this then...how bout the little hazel eyed one who seems so sure of himself?"

His name never known to time, forever lost in the rigors of battle, the one that became known as Chris... Confident in himself even at an early age, a natural leader from day one...

"Hmm I see... And what about the quiet one, he's been studying us since we brought him here..."

The name his mother gave him, never to be spoken by a living being again, Davis...Quiet and fearless in everything he did, forever reliable by those few he trusts...

"Heh and what about this rough brat who seems intent on biting me?"

His name, chosen by his father to honor his ancestors, a name never to be known by those around him, Reese... As fierce as a dragon and just as predictable, protective of his friends and the innocent... and future purveyor of female bathhouses and hot springs!

Chunin number 2 couldn't help but grin "Kinda' weird names but whatever...you know what man I really wonder what will happen to these three..." Nameless Chunin One simply shook his head "Who knows, all we can hope is that they don't bring shame to whoever gets unlucky enough to be their caretaker and sensei..."

The curious gaze of both Chunin focused on the now three sleeping babies, just what was their future, great ninjas, washouts, saviors or villains; one could never truly tell with the young. One thing was certain; whoever got the job of future sensei for those three was sure to have his or her hands full.

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_Office of the newly reinstated Third Hokage _

_Four days after the ceremony _

_Three weeks since Kyuubi attack _

"Hokage-sama, the jounin you requested is here" Informed Saturobi's new secretary; the third Hokage simply sighed as he moved aside the mess of paperwork that had been perched on his desk for the past day. He wasn't looking forward to this, considering she truly was the only one he could turn to in this chaotic period of time. "Please send her in right away" The Third simply sighed once again and mentally prepared himself once again for the battle he was about to face.

"_The perfect one for this mission, though she herself won't know it till far later in the game" _Thought the Third. A quick knock at his door informed him that he had no more time to prepare. "Please enter" Without further delay the person in question entered, The Third still had to repress a shudder at seeing her, not at how she looked or anything of that sort, but of what she had been put through and the things she had been misled to do, In strode perhaps the most tortured soul he had yet to meet in his long life, Her grin was false as was the cheerful nonchalance she gave off in order to fool those around her. It worked on normal people and even on most ninjas, but those who knew her also knew the terrible hells she had endured. Truly a tough woman in need of healing.

She was only 17, so young in the eyes outside the village, but in the shinobi world most women her age had already married and perhaps already carried their first borne. This was true in the more powerful clans who couldn't afford to wait to have heirs to their bloodline secure, with all the insecurities and dangers that came with the title ninja it was never safe to bet if the mother or father would life to see the morning sun.

Yes their were older and more experienced woman in the village for this certain type of mission, however the Hokage truly felt that the only way to truly heal this woman of her burning guilt and rage was for her to undertake this task, inexperienced both in its technique as well as emotionally.

It was the only way he could think of to save a woman who was more danger to herself then almost any enemy Konoha had.

It wasn't easy to tell at first glance her mental state with her false carefree grin and easy going nature for those she deemed a non threat or amusing, for those she decided were annoying or a possible threat she became one of the most bloodthirsty and disturbed kounichi that Saturobi ever had the displeasure of meeting. Two sides of different coins that had made him wonder if his decision was truly in the best interests of all, what if she turned the three young ones into a bunch of mentally disturbed terrorists, or what if taking care of three children would turn one of his best jounin's into a housewife? The Third shook his head one more time to clear these thoughts, too many what ifs and such, if it worked it would perform wonders on a woman that Ibiki had declared unsaveable...

"I'm sure you wish to know why you were called in to my office without any prior notice Mitarashi Anko."

Mitarashi Anko, Jounin of Konoha all her life but for what some would consider a brief stint outside its walls and last living apprentice of the Snake Saninn approached the Hokage with the same guarded expression that she always did, living under Orocchimaru had made her jumpy of sudden summons to her boss...that and the terrible guilt she held in herself for betraying Konoha in the way she did. "Hokage-sama, how may this one serve you?" Standard question to which he expected, she had only recently rejoined Konoha only a few months before the Fourths death, ever since then she had volunteered for only the most dangerous missions. Her guilt with herself and something to do with the Fourths death had made her almost suicidal in her choice of missions.

She stood still expecting her standard answer of said suicide mission, knowing that whatever it was she would do, she had much penance to do for her sins; her actions had paved the way for the Fourth to be killed, for the village to be harmed in the way it did. Anko owed it to the village and then some. Yes no matter the mission she would perform it or die trying. Of course if she had known ahead of time what was expected of her, she might just have decided to commit seppuku and be done with it.

"Yes Anko, in fact the village of Konoha does have a use for your service, though I fear it will be of a different nature then you are used too." Saturobi was extra careful to keep his face and tone natural and business like; he preferred those around him to see the reason as to why his orders should be carried out instead of just having to force his authority as the head ninja. "Indeed, one could say that this mission though seemingly of little use now will have far reaching consequences for the very future of the village". Anko couldn't help but stand just a little bit taller though she too kept her face as neutral as she could as well. Major S class missions as this one was hinting to be only come along once in a great blue moon during the few times that the ninja villages of the world weren't at war.

"I won't sugarcoat this Anko Mitarashi, this mission will call on skills you may think you don't have, and test the very limits of both your patience and your mental strength." Pausing to take a long puff on his pipe he let that sentence hang in the air as long as the smoke ring he made. "I'm afraid to say that this job requires the talents of not only a skilled jounin such as yourself but a woman who has no ties to anything at the moment. It's a little unfortunate for you that you're the only one currently in Konoha who exhibits both these qualities." Another pause and another puff, the Thirds face remained devoid of emotion and stayed in the same calm mask. Anko couldn't help but feel like she was getting into something incredibly serious and deadly, the criteria made the mission sound as though one shouldn't expect to live through the mission to completion.

_"The chance that I've waited for to repent for my mistakes and the harm I've caused the village, no matter what I'll take this mission and complete it regardless of the cost" _Anko's eyes narrowed and her face became one of serious intent, now was the time to accept the responsibility of her actions.

"Hokage-sama, as a kounichi of the leaf I'm always ready to give my life to any cause that may benefit the village without question or fail"

"Be warned once more Anko, this is no normal mission, once you accept you must on your honor swear to see it through to the end, in the long run I feel as though you'll see my wisdom as well as HIS wisdom on the matter." Saturobi closed his eyes and gave a slight sigh. "It was his wish that this take place, I needn't remind you that you owe your life to him and that I think you should take all that into account"

Anko stiffened immediately, it was true that the only the Fourths infinite mercy had spared her the shame of being slain as a traitor to the leaf and had lead to her reinstatement as a jounin of the leaf. If this was a mission and request from him from beyond the grave then she had no choice. "No matter the mission or the risk, I Anko Mitarashi swear on my life to make true the wishes of the Fourth Hokage by completing this mission"

"Alright then, you have been duly warned..." The Third leaned forward and hit the button on his intercom. "You may send them in now". Anko prepared herself for anything to walk through that door, it was sure to be someone extremely important or powerful and she wished to look the part of a professional Ninja and not be surprised by anything that might step through that office door. Yes, the Kyuubi itself could enter and Anko wouldn't bat an eye...

When three strollers containing three sleeping babies but months old were carted in, Anko didn't know whether to be outraged at what seemed a bad joke or simply confused.

She chose the latter.

The Hokage had to resist letting a small smile through, one did not often see Anko speechless, much less with that innocent look of confusion that she mustn't have worn since she was a small child. Still, her temper legendary enough to rival that of his best female student wasn't something that he wished to deal with...that and it would wake up the children.

"Let me explain clearly, THESE three will be your mission starting today from the time they graduate as genin from the Konoha ninja academy or the age of responsibility. In essence, it is your duty to care for them, raise them, and begin their training in the ninja arts." a quick shuffle of papers broke the dead quiet in the room after the Hokage's opening shot. "Ah it says here that the one on the left is called Chris, the one in the middle is named Davis and the one on the right is named Reese...Odd names to be sure but ones that I think will suit them giving their circumstances."

Nothing save the quiet breathing of the babes and the two ninjas in the room prevailed as the Hokage meet the open gaze of Anko, Her eyes still showing signs of the confusion that had dominated her thinking since the door opened and even the beginning signs of her fearsome temper showing.

"From this point on, You, Anko Mitarashi, are to become their mother in all but blood. As I said you will care for them as if they were your own and teach them all that you know of the ninja arts as you can save those of the snakes. And..." The Third Hokage got no further as a small chuckle emerged from Anko,

"Ah so you're saying that this S classed mission you all but promised turns out to be nothing but a simple babysitting gig huh, a regular genin type blue milk run..."

The Hokage simply waited, he knew her temper and pride, injured though it may be, would enter into this at some point it was all a matter of time.

"Hokage-sama with all due respect, you cannot expect me to believe that the last wish from the Fourth was to have someone simply...baby-sit these brats until they were old enough to enter the academy" Anko's face became more forceful as she spoke, "And you would honestly sit there and tell me that I'M the only one for this mission?" she quickly and savagely gestured toward the still sleeping babes "I know NOTHING about babies and even less about being a mother, much less a decent human being...Hokage-sama you cannot..."

Turnabout was fair play in this little game as the Third also cut Anko's tirade off. "Mitarashi Anko, You have formally agreed to accept this mission, albeit without complete details but with full knowledge that it would be both difficult and vital to Konoha, your eyes and training seem to fail you if you do not notice that these three come not from the leaf, but from the rock, rain and grass villages!"

Anko turned quickly and studying the infinites more closely, it was true that their features resembled those from said villages, her face brightened a little at the prospect that these three held rare bloodline limits or perhaps the noble blood of premiere ninjas from those villages. "So they are?"

"No, as far as we know they are simply orphans from the war, their clans were destroyed in the aftermath and we have no clue other then that their clans had to have been ninja's..." The Hokage shuffled the papers once more looking for a few bits of information concerning the children "Nothing is confirmed other then the Fourths word that these three would be an asset to the village"

"But Hokage-sama...you know I can't care for children...what if they are tainted..." Anko hand reached up and touched her cursed seal. Ever since the snake had given it to her, promising her power, she had never truly been the same. She could even now feel the evil chakra pulse through her lightly, almost as if it sensed the innocent life just waiting to be tainted. "Hokage-sama, why me, why do you ask one as fallen and bloodthirsty as myself to care for...no be a mother to these three"

_"It would be that simple to let your past allow you to slip out of this, to acknowledge that the risk outweighs the gains and simply deem you a lost cause" _A slight smile crossed his face _"Too bad it won't be that simple" Saturobi_ stood from behind his desk and crossed over in front of her, his hands folded behind his back. "Here it is... they need you as much as you need them, Anko; you will learn much from them. You will find that this is most likely what the Fourth would have wanted in any case, care you to defy two Hokage's wisdom and orders and your own swear to complete this mission?"

There was no masking the tension that had filled the air, The Hokage had apparently tired of playing this game. She had to decide whether to forgo her own swear and debt to Konoha and once again be seen as unreliable and untrustworthy or become something she had never thought possible.

A mother

The very thought sent a shiver through her, little brats crawling around messing themselves and raising a racket, then later when they learn to talk, never shutting up and asking her to buy them things, and even later when they grow to teenagers, always borrowing her kunai and losing them and STILL asking her to buy them everything...

But...

A brief flash of all three of them smiling and calling her mommy...of all of them playing in the park...of warm hugs on cold days when the world and the seal seemed too harsh to handle.

Mommy...Mom...Mother...Mum

_"I love you mom!" _

The crying of little Reese broke her from her trance, woken by his cries both Davis and Chris woke as well and began to wail about their interrupted sleep. The Hokage merely watched as Anko slowly walked over to the strollers as if drawn by something she couldn't quite explain, those last words and thoughts ringing through her mind as she stood over all three of the crying babes. "What are they crying for?" she spoke more to herself then to the other occupant in the room. She was at a complete loss at what to do; kounichi training much less general ninja training hardly taught one how to handle children.

On an impulse she picked one up, Davis she believed and held him to her face to get a good look at him. Young Davis stopped crying almost immediate upon meeting her violet eyes with his own. The two stared at each other for a short while, before long Davis reached out with his small hands in an attempt to hold on to her. Taking the cue, Anko awkwardly held him to her body as tenderly as she could; it was enough to pacify the young one completely. During all this, the other two had stopped crying not soon after Anko had drawn near and also seemed interested in the woman who stood before them.

"_Truly the kami meant for this to happen, the Fourth was correct in putting her at the top of the list for this little project of his." _Saturobi marveled at how the children reacted to a prefect stranger so, a woman with such sorrow in her aura would normally send those that small into even harder crying fits. These children however seemed to be more intrigued with it, amazing at such an early age as they were. _"How had he known...that these children carried the potential to be such great ninjas?" _

Quiet reigned in the office as Anko stared at each small child before her, etching their faces into her memory as she saw slight glimpses of her future with them, each moment bringing equal parts joy and sadness. _"Why should I feel this...this connection with these three?" _The brief flashes, taunting her with their second long revelations of the possible future that offered much but promised perhaps only one thing for sure.

She would never be alone again.

It hit her then, what it was that she could sense from these three, orphans with no clan from a foreign village, they would have no hope to reach their true strength as ninjas, they would grow up alone much like herself, they would find themselves easy prey to those like...him. They were so much like her that their fates would almost certainly be the same as hers... _"NO, I won't allow another innocent soul to be perverted and twisted by the likes of Orocchimaru ever again!" _A sudden fierce instinct of protectiveness rose from deep within her heart, parts of her she thought long since ripped out by the Snake Saninn.

Parts of her that wanted her to take these children as her own.

Anko's hand went towards her cursed seal once more, she wasn't a mother, hell she wasn't even a decent human being. What made both the Third and Fourth Hokages so sure that she was the one to do this? For one thing she didn't know thing one about taking care of another, Second what if the evil chakra from her cursed seal infected them and twisted them like Orocchimaru or herself, she knew she couldn't live with herself if she turned these children into monsters.

A heavy sigh escaped the Hokage, they had gone over THAT little subject over and over again yet she still never seemed to believe the simple truth. "Anko, I truly tire of this, you know that cursed seal won't affect anyone but you" The Third set behind his desk and steeples his hands, looking over them severely at her. "Make your choice Anko, do you accept and bring honor back to yourself or prove that perhaps the Fourth misplaced his faith in you, these children WILL be an asset to the village and more so under your tutelage"

Still holding the once more napping Davis to her she turned to the old ninja. "I will accept this mission under one condition, I … don't want anyone to know that I'm their babysi...I mean mother, at least not until they have become genin and proven that they can handle themselves"

"Acceptable, and very wise" His growing grin was hidden just like the rest of his face behind his hands. "Anko you will, of course, not teach them anything you may have learned from him; instead, you will focus on what their latent abilities will be, as well as teach them the basics of the leaf. You will of course be allotted a fairly decent salary, in order to raise them properly"

Anko simply nodded as she turned back to what had suddenly become her future, exactly what those three held for her was unknown to her. All that truly mattered now was that she live up to the trust and expectations of both Hokages and train them to be the best ninjas they could be.

After all, that's all she really knew anyway.

Saturobi's voice cut into her thoughts abruptly " Let me give you some simple advice I learned when I raised my daughter, when the time comes that you learn to love them and you will by the way" His ever present pipe once again in his mouth he took another deep breath. "Know that love will give all of you great strength, that what would seem foolish or impossible no longer matters to you" His eyes turned down to bore into her own, to lend strength to his last statement. " Mark my words Anko Mitarashi, they will become so precious to you that even the revenge you thirst for daily will pale in comparison to protecting them and watching them grow"

Once more a pause

"You are dismissed Anko, your mission's will reflect your involvement in this project which from henceforth will be named _"Team Zero"_ Your pay will also reflect this as well as the allotment to the children... good luck and do your best to bring about the dreams of a great man and of those children who's future you now hold in your hand"

"Yes Hokage-sama"

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_Apartment of Anko Mitarashi _

_One hour after project "Team Zero" begins _

_"Team Zero huh...a future team of ninjas with no number, no background and a possibility of no future...all of these things placed solely in my hands..." _

She truly thanked the kami that the children were still asleep, she needed a lot of time to think about all that she had just gotten into. After all, she hadn't exactly started the day imagining that she'd be a mother of three before the day was out.

Mother...

That term stuck in her head as she watched over the children, she was their mother now, or at lest that's what her official orders told her that's what she was, what she was to act like and be to these children who had lost their own mothers long before they could even know...

_"Good luck huh...I'll need a hell of a lot more then luck to raise these three...more like a goddamn miracle" _Anko couldn't help but keep her thoughts from turning bitter, for Kami's sakes what the hell did she know about children!

A soft sigh issued from the darkness that was her home

_"Doesn't matter...if the Fourth wanted this then there is no way I can do anything but try my best..." _

A soft hiccup issued from little Chris as he turned over on his side breaking only briefly the silence she had wrapped herself in.

A soft small smile graced her lips at the sight of all three children sleeping contently as though they had no idea what they had just gotten themselves into.

_"Ok boys, welcome home and say hello to momma Anko, I hope you like it here because we'll be stuck together for a long while"_

_Lonely souls with no future, learn to make your own...together._

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-Well there you go, another look into the world of Naruto…I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed my story somewhat and provide me with lots of reviews that point out what I'm doing wrong or what I'm doing right. In that sense, I'm hoping someone likes this concept enough to beta read for me and help me with my grammar and spelling editing because both my friends are lazy and pretty much useless in that regard

Also, I'll be adding the Team Zero Status thing as a way to help keep track of any changes in me and my friends OC's, as well as a Current OC Cast to keep track of any other (though I hope to keep somewhat rare) OC's that might appear.

Please do review, and let me know exactly your compliments and complaints and I'll try to take them all into account, till next time

Stray Cat Blues signing off-

Character Info

Anko Mitarashi-Age 17-Special Jounin of the leaf- last known living appertince to the snake Saninn- Known for mad rages and intense desire to see blood spilled- new foster mother of three new infants

Team Zero Status

Chris Mitarashi- Formally newborn of the hidden village of Rock, Now of the hidden village of Leaf, Foster son of Anko Mitarashi

(Classified to general public and low level/mid level/ high level ninja)

Davis Mitarashi- Formally newborn of the hidden village of Grass, Now of the hidden village of Leaf, Foster son of Anko Mitarashi

(Classified to general public and low level/mid level/ high level ninja)

Reese Mitarashi- Formally newborn of the hidden village of Rain, Now of the hidden village of Leaf, Foster son of Anko Mitarashi

(Classified to general public and low level/mid level/ high level ninja)


	2. Team Zero Second Love

Team Zero

By

Stray Cat Blues

I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein, other then those of my own design

Stray Cat Blue: So, if you liked the first one enough to come back for the second, you have my thanks and the hope's you like the second to come back for the third and so on, if not well...I'm not sure why your here then but you're more then welcome to stay...

And now for what you really came to see!

_Team Zero _

_Making up one's mind or When mothers attack!_

Current Team Zero Status

Chris Mitarashi- Now 7 months old

Davis Mitarashi- Now 6 months old

Reese Mitarashi- Now 9 months old

(Team Zero, its very name implies that the team doesn't exist or that it lacks enough talent to be given a number. Perhaps a team of washouts or rejects that were too good to outright dismiss but bad enough to not warrant a true number? But if that is the case then how could Konoha with it's superb ninja academy and talented ninja produce such a embarrassment? The answer was of course that they didn't, when the term "Team Zero" was found to be reserved until eleven and a half years from the date the Third Hokage took office again, many questions and rumors were whispered among the administrative nin and those few who knew of the orders. However the Hokage wasn't talking, and neither was Anko Mitarashi; the secret caretaker and future trainer of three small children whose fates placed them almost entirely at her mercy and good mood...)

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_Village of Konoha _

_Unknown location _

_3:00 A.M._

_Two months since the start of project "Team Zero"_

Anko wasn't exactly in the best of moods...

Actually she wanted to say she was pissed off, but was far to tired to let any sort of self righteous rage enter into her overworked mind at the moment. She wasn't too sure when or why she lost her mind and what little good sense she could still lay claim too by accepting this stupid patrol. After all, she had more important things to do right now.

Like sleep...

Oh how that had become such a scarce luxury over the past two months, along with being clean and having more then 5 minutes to herself. "_And I thought all babies did was sleep and eat!" _Anko shook her head, whoever had put that idea into her head better never cross her path again. _"Right now I'd love to find some dumbass spy from another village...a easy kill would really perk me up..._" Anko sighed aloud, there was little to no chance of that happening, and besides the babies tended to get upset with the smell of blood on her and that would generally keep them up for more then half the night.

It was why she was out here in the middle of the night, she had accepted a quick night patrol around the village that would allow her to get some quiet time to think and get out of her home for bit. Still this quiet wasn't solving any of her problems, she was still tired and generally irritable. Another reason why she was alone on this patrol; the other ninjas had noticed her mood and even that moron Gai had kept his mouth shut and agreed that she should take the patrol alone.

The Hokage had merely given her a knowing look and changed the patrol routes accordingly. It wouldn't do for one of his ninja to kill another one out of pure annoyance after all.

_"If they aren't crying about something, then their throwing up their food or throwing it at me...mashed carrots isn't easy to get out of my hair!" _

Ok so maybe they didn't cry all the time, or always throw their food, but dammit they did it far more often then she wanted them too

_"Lets not forget the diapers I've had to change...one is disgusting enough but three pushes it beyond the line" _

She did have to add the fact that she'd been fortunate enough that all three babies didn't need changing at all the same time, a small miracle that she truly thanked the Kami for.

_"They sleep during the day sometimes and are up all night, other times it's the reverse...I haven't had a decent nights sleep in what seems like age's" _

Something she was sure all mothers went through and to be fair the babies had to adjust to her mission schedules and meetings that all chunin ninja and above had to attend every now and then.

Anko shook her head to stop the argument's that bounced around in her head, there was no denying the confusion that she now held in relation to the children. The "Normal" parts of her refused to have anything to do with the babies and pushed constantly for her to get rid of them to some other unlucky kunochi. The parts of her that fought back were both new to her and were the major parts of her current confusion.

She DIDN'T like taking care of anyone else but herself, and more to the point little babies who didn't even know how to talk. Their complete innocence in the world repulsed her, Orochimaru had torn what little innocence she had once had and taught her to despise it as a weakness. Hard as she tried to wipe all of his teachings from her mind she knew that it would be a long time before she could look at the world without his taint clouding her mind.

But..

She couldn't deny that when the Hokage had handed her the boys official birth certificates and other such basic documentary that all newborns of Konoha received, that she had felt pride, and not just any pride but a special kind that she could only chalk up to motherly pride when she saw all three carried the Mitarashi name. Oh she knew that's what was going to happen when she agreed to the mission but it just really hit her to see it written in stone.

Chris, Davis and Reese all carried her name.

Mitarashi...

The clan wouldn't die with her, instead it had been given a new shot of life. A new hope that someday the name would mean something amongst the ninjas of the world. That other villages would fear the name and...

Anko gritted her teeth as she lept from the tree she had been sitting in to another one, ever since she had started the mission she had been having silly day dreams about the children. About how they would become great ninjas, or even one of them becoming the Hokage himself. Anko began to leap from tree to tree; continuing her patrol path throughout Konoha, yes and someday they would get married and give her plenty of grandchildren who...

_THUMP!!_

The sound of a female ninja slipping from what should have been a easy landing on a tree branch sounded empty in the night air as one Anko Mitarashi sat amongst the soft pile of leaves that had unknowingly broken her fall and prevented any truly noticeable pain, not that she was in the mindset to really care.

_"Grandchildren? what the hell am I thinking; this is simply a mission until their twelve, once their genin and have a team my mission will be over and I'll never have to see them again!" _

A sudden quick pang shot through her heart at the thought, further confusing her. After all this WAS just a mission.

Wasn't it?

Of course it was more then a mission, hell according to the Hokage if everything went smoothly, then the results could change Konoha's policy of adoption and raising of foreign ninja children forever. A veritable new goldmine of recruits and techniques, as well as legitimate access to some new bloodline's. Her...THESE children would be at the forefront of the whole deal.

But technique and pure talent was not all that the Hokage was looking for, the children had to be happy and well brought up in order to prove the theory that the Fourth put forth. Ninjas with emotional baggage almost always proved to be even more trouble then those with little to no talent.

"_Huh, great choice then oh wise Hokages, give a woman with more angst and self loathing then your average badass loner with a troubled past and a revenge fetish against one of the most powerful ninjas in the world three innocent kids and expect them to kick everyones ass and apologize while their doing it" _

_------------------------------------------_

_Grove of trees near Anko Mitarashi's current location_

"Tell me friend Kakashi, why is the lovely and slightly deranged Anko sitting amongst a pile of leaves like a child who just lost their beloved pet?"

Kakashi Hatake lazily rolled his only visible eye over to stare at his friend and "eternal rival" Maito Gai who had been orderd by the Hokage to accompany Kakashi in making sure that Anko was going to be alright on her solo patrol around the village. Following her had been easy and so had remaining undetected by her, strange for a ninja of her skill and ability. It had become so easy that Kakashi had taken to rereading his "Come Come Paradise Volume One" book partly to alleviate the boredom and partly to piss off Gai. When she had slipped and fallen into a pile of leaves was really the only time he had looked up, something was really going on with her to make her act like a fresh academy student on her first day.

"I don't know, and honestly I'm not about to go down there and find out" Which of course was the truth, acting weird or not, he wasn't about to go about interrupting Anko's thoughts, the last ninja that did that was still in the hospital...poor bastard wouldn't walk again either save for a miracle from the Kami. "She's not in any danger so just let her sit there and sort out whatever's been bothering her.."

"Ah but friend Kakashi, what if she needs the tender yet firm embrace of a true man in order to help her..." at this Gai gave his nice guy pose complete with the shine off his teeth, how he managed to do that in the dead of night eluded reason.

Kakashi simply fixed Gai with his usual bored stare before turning back to his beloved book.

"Humph...why you turn to that filth while a lovely young woman is in dire need of help is beyond me, it seems that a true man must take charge and come to her aid!"

With that exclamation Gai lept from the tree they had been hiding in, and headed down towards the still distracted Anko.

Kakashi sighed, looked like he was going to be dragging Gai's unconscious but hopefully breathing body to the emergency room whenever Anko got done beating on him. He frowned slightly, whatever was bothering her was major...he hadn't seen Anko this moody since her return from Orochimaru...something to look into if he ever had time and no "Come Come Paradise" to read.

Well, that would be a cold day in hell...

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_Path to the Main Square of Konoha _

_Hour and a half later _

_"Thank the Kami for that spandex wearing idiot, a free beatdown was just what I needed to hand out to make myself feel better" _

It really had been a godsend, after the fool had appeared before her declaring that his youthful passion or something would help clear her mind, she had been able to shake the heavy thoughts she had about the children.. and hand Gai a world class asskicking for bothering her in the first place.

_"Heh, I really should send him some flowers or something to help him get better...along with a warning to never bother me ever again" _

Anko's general cheery smile was back on her face as she walked down the path to the main square to return to her apartment, her patrol over and done with; she decided to go home and catch what few hours of sleep she could, after checking on the children first of course. The Hokage provided a babysitter at times when she was on a extended mission or the occasional patrol, but she couldn't sleep until she checked on her charges herself.

Sigh...

So much for shaking her thoughts on the children, more and more she was naturally listening to the voice inside her head that insisted that these were her kids now. She struggled almost daily with the thoughts, so much that she almost forgot her ever present guilt and burning desire for revenge on the snake. It had even started to affect her ninja skills to the point where the Hokage was having her followed, why else would Gai suddenly appear from no where and start preaching about springtimes or whatever dribble he bellowed when entering a room.

She knew she had to resolve these issues soon...make up her mind on her true feelings for the children, or she's be caught napping at the wrong moment and that almost certainly spelled death for a ninja. Of course she forgot to add in the twisted revenge plot and terrible guilt she carried as issues...oh and the cheerful bloodthirstiness as well.

_"Dammit I just want to know what I should do!, should I listen to the voice that begs me love and care for them like they were my own or the other one that tells me they are simply the mission and nothing more!..."_

_It would seem that Fate would grant her the opportunity to resolve her problems, though much sooner and in a way she most certainly would not have wished. But such is the..."Fate" of those who would will its help even inadvertently._

A buzz of noise emmenating from the main square caught her attention, judging by the volume it was a crowd, possibly an angry one at that. _"It's four thirty in the morning, why would a angry mob form?" _

Disturbed by this prospect Anko took to the tree's in order to get a higher point of observation and a place to keep her hidden in case the crowd was in fact a angry mob. Leaping from tree to tree she heard the noise of the crowd get louder and louder and could begin to hear small snatches of conversation that made little sense to her until she started hearing the word demon or child in most of them. Her mind filling with worry at the prospects she sped up until she reached the last tree on the outer edge of the square, what she saw put truth to her fears.

There standing upon a homemade platform of crates was a ninja of the leaf, a chunin by Anko's estimate and not a very good one either, holding up in the air a small object wrapped in a blanket that seemed to hold most of the crowds negative attention. It only took a peak of bright blonde hair for Anko to piece together exactly what was going down, something that spelled certain death for many in the crowd if what they had planned for the young babe actually took place.

_"Damn...Damn...Goddamnit I can't believe these fool villagers or that idiot ninja, do they have any idea what might happen if they actually kill him...kill the Fourths son!?" _

The Fourth Hokage's son, or as he was known Uzumaki Naruto, was indeed in the arms of the nameless chunin who held him with a mixture of disdain and fear. Barely five months old the baby demon container's life seemed to hang in a desperate balance, the crowds anger at the Kyuubi's attack was still very fresh in their minds and most of them thirsted for young innocent blood to be spilled that night.

"_Where the hell are the other Jounin patrols or the ANBU?" _

It was truly a shame, the only other Jounin on patrol who might have interceded were currently at the hospital, one getting his severe injuries treated and the other hanging out in the lobby getting hit on by lustful nurses while reading his favorite book. The ANBU also seemed to either be nowhere in the area or of the same mindset of the villagers...few were unaffected by the great nine tails attack on the village.

"Villagers hear me, I the great Shinichi, ninja of the village of the leaf have captured the terrible demon who mere months ago laid waste to our village" The now not so nameless chunin begin what seemed to be a long planned speech. " Though he now is in the guise of a young child, do not be fooled...he is indeed the great demon lord Kyuubi...and it is my duty as a ninja of the leaf to slay this beast before it rises again to...

Anko had stopped paying attention to the rant, after all if she wanted to hear mindless dribble she'd hang out with...well people who considered themselves normal. All of Anko's attention became focused on the small bundle of cloth that had the Fourths son and the hero of Konoha wrapped inside it. She knew it was her duty by the Hokage's orders to save the child and to slay the rogue ninja and villagers who went against the laws, she also knew how much she truly owed the Fourth and that saving and protecting his child would definitely be one of the better things she could do...

But something else hit her, not in her mind but deep in heart, like something awakening that had been sealed away for far to long. To her minds eye the picture wavered and Naruto was replaced by visions of her own charges...no children, thoughts and emotions were bubbling forth to the surface of the young woman's mind and heart. Some might call it a new mothers instinct and fierce protectiveness, but that would imply that Anko Mitarashi now thought of the three orphans as her own and had truly made up her mind. Others would call it a reawaking of her moral compass and something that would lead her to the path of a less cruel and callous woman who might one day be a normal person who could walk in the daylight without fear of scaring small children and the elderly...

No chance in hell of the latter being true.

"_That son of a bitch just breathed his last" _

With this last thought Anko prepared some seals for a very special and painful surprise for the self important moron who dared to spill the blood of the innocent and disobey his Hokage's laws and wishes.

"Earth Style: Earth Spikes no Jutsu!"

Poor young Shinichi's joke about two demons and the farmers pig was forever put on hold as two earthen spikes burst from the ground; right into and thru the heels of his feet all the way up to his knees effectively trapping him where he stood. It also made him scream (to Ankos ear's) a rather pleasing sound of utter and sudden pain. Naturally the chunin dropped the now crying Uzumaki in a attempt at grabbing his legs in a vain hope to lessen the pain.

A swift and sure leap over the head's of the now confused and frightened crowd ensured a quick rescue of the young Naruto as well as placing her in an excellent position for what she planned next. Placing baby Naruto on a nearby crate well within reach and somewhere that she could keep an eye on him she turned to the now sobbing self proclaimed hero of Konoha and the crowd of villagers.

"You knew of the Thirds laws concerning the child, so I won't repeat them to you, you villagers will now disperse and return to your homes as I deal with this traitor to the leaf. If any of you wish to object, speak now so I can count how many kunai I plan to waste tonight!"

With this official proclamation Anko calmly walked behind Shinichi and drew one of her kunai and laid the edge along his throat, as per orders she was to execute him, but orders didn't specify how much it had to hurt or that she couldn't terrorize the bastard even further.

"Listen you sick fuck, you're going to die tonight but you drew the short straw and had to deal with me tonight..." whispered Anko almost seductively into the terrified young man's ear. "You see, normally I'm a sadistic bitch who'd just slice you up a little before letting you die, but you know, I just became a mommy recently...isn't that a wonderful thing little man?"

Shinichi (who at this point was praying to every kami that he knew of) nodded as quickly and forcefully as he could with a knife at his throat. 'It..it's a wond...wonderful thing...oh please please...for..forgive me..." Shinichi quickly scanned his tear filled eyes over the crowed hoping that one might shout or scream or come to his rescue.

A vain hope as he could see, for what he could not see was the look of Anko's face, a look that all the crowd could in fact see well. It was the look of a woman who seemed to have discovered something, something important to her, something that had just been threatened in a way...that and the look of sheer pleasure she was having thinking of the torture she planned for the poor man before her.

"Yes, I do have to thank you ya know...threating to kill a small baby like a coward made me understand just how important my own children have become to me...sooo" continued the soft and somewhat seductive whisper in Shinichis ears.

The edge of the knife slowly but surely backed away from Shinichi's throat, the foolish chunin gave a small gulp of relief as he heard her sheathe the knife, it seemed he might just escape aft...

"Fire Style: Flame Edge no Jutsu!"

Two easy hand seals and good chakra control skills meant that the edge of the kunai that Anko now held in her hand suddenly burst into a red hot searing flame, something that she planned to use to the utmost.

"So I'm going to make a MAJOR example outta you, this is what happens to those who would dare threaten a child with ME around!" No soft seductive whisper there, just the sure tones of someone who was more then going to enjoy the next few moments...

Shinichi could only scream, and scream and scream...

--------------------------------------------------

_Village of Konoha _

_Anko's Apartment _

_6 o'clock A.M._

Humming a simple yet happy tune from her youth, Anko Mitarashi stepped out her bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body and another one wrapped around her hair. She came to a stop in front of three cribs which contained what she now considered her greatest treasure's and the one's now most precious to her...

Well in Reese's crib there was an extra passenger... she wasn't willing to take Naruto back to the orphanage that had let him been easily captured and put in such danger, if she hadn't gotten her rage and bloodletting outta her system with the now deceased Shinichi she woulda gone back and...

Well it didn't matter, she would return Naruto to the Hokage tomorrow and try to keep an eye on the tyke from now on, she knew it wasn't likely that she would be given the task to care for him and she honestly doubted that she could. Three kids were enough in her opinion and even that was stretching it. She only hoped that Naruto would wind up somewhere where he could live in a bit of peace. But she knew he wouldn't have to worry about being lonely...when she had placed the exhausted and still scared baby into Reese's crib (Her smallest one, Davis started to fuss a little when she placed Naruto in his crib) he simply stared at the blue eyed intruder before giving a small grin that Naruto quickly returned before both babes quickly fell asleep once more. Perhaps a sign of the future? or just something that babies did, Anko didn't know which to chalk it up too.

"_At lest he's safe...and he will be as long as I'm in the village...after tonights..."warning"... there shouldn't be many takers in the future...and boy am I glad I put a quick sleeping Genjutsu on him before I went to work on that idiot...the poor kid woulda been traumatized for life seeing that.." _

Giving what would be a cute giggle if the circumstances weren't so twisted, she quickly gave her...her children another look...

"_It's true...I can't believe it but its true...I think of them as mine now...my children...my babies..."_

Leaning over into each crib she gave each of her children (including the young Uzumaki) a quick kiss on the forehead before heading towards her room to turn in for a well deserved and content night's/day's sleep

_"Hey at lest I got to avoid all that labor bullshit right? heh heh heh" _

_-------------------------------------_

_Konoha Main Square _

_8 o'clock AM _

_Current Murder Scene Investigation. _

_Blocked off from general public by the Third Hokage's order _

To anyone but a ninja it was a sick and disturbing sight, a dead body of a young man still standing due to his feet and lower legs being pined to the makeshift platform by long and narrow spikes from the earth, his cut throat had all but stopped dripping blood though an occasional drop or two still splashed down towards the black pool of dried blood at his feet, but that wasn't even close to the worst part...

Kakashi watched as another new genin lost her lunch after taking a look at the corpses back, even he had to admit that his stomach turned a bit after reading the message that had been...seared/carved into the dead chunin's back.

:Attention to all who would harm the Fourth Hokage's child and break the law set by the Third Hokage, this just might happen to you! so hands off the kid you hear me!!...:

Love.

Anko Mitarashi

Jounin of the Leaf

The warning was followed by what Kakashi had to admit was a fairly artistic rendering of a smiling chibi Anko holding what looked to be a baby and giving the V sign with her fingers, impressive considering she was working with a knife and what had to be a writhing squirming human being in almost complete agony...

Kakashi simply rolled his eye skyward and prayed to whatever was out there that something was done about that womans tendencies to take things to the extreme, almost the entire village was buzzing with fear and rumors about the incident as well as a deep disgust/intense fear of Anko.

It was a certain thing that she wasn't going to be allowed to roam the streets for a long time after this...

------------------------------------------

_Village of Konoha _

_Hokages Tower_

_Saturobi's Office _

Another day another mountain of paperwork, it could be said that sometimes the Hokage's job wasn't exactly what it was cracked up to be. Ninjas tended to cause problems even on the home front, and the latest report he received was no exception, especially when you had such ninja as Anko Mitarashi...and what a problem she created with that latest fiasco...if one could call it that.

Perhaps fiasco _was_ too light a word, total public relations disaster was more like it. Ninja leaping on roofs in the middle of the night was annoying the townsfolk as it was, and the occasional lovers spat between ninja couples was also enough to make most ordinary folk dive for cover. Still in the end, the townsfolk put up with it all knowing full well the price you paid when living in a hidden ninja village.

But this really was asking too much, already word had gotten around to most everyone in the village...

People had already wanted to declare a witch hunt to find Anko and try her as a spy or traitor for Orochimaru. Saturobi had put a stop to that by warning any who wished to take vengeance on her would have to do so without any help from the ninjas from the village...

That had silenced a lot of the most vocal ones...

Of course some ninjas, mostly the friends of young Shinichi, had also wanted to hunt her down. He had put a stop to that too by reminding them that harming or attempting to harm Naruto was punishable by death on the spot so that Anko was well within legal right to slay the fool. Of course he had to give ground that the...manner...in which she had carried out the law had been far to the extreme. A couple of promises to speak with her later on in the day over the matter to discuss severe punishment sent them away without much more trouble.

_"Indeed" _thought The Third "_She truly made a mess of things this time...what a twisted sense of humor she has..." _

A quiet and relaxing puff on his pipe gave him another pause for thought.

"_At lest I can use her as a threat from now on to those who keep bugging me about killing the poor child" _

Certainly a thought to bring a slight smile on the overworked Hokage...

---------------------------------------------------------

Current OC list.

Shinchi ????- Chunin ninja of Konoha- Age 16- Currently Deceased/Anko's billboard

The Naruto File

Uzumaki Naruto- Age 5 months- Confirmed as Fourth Hokage's son (in my fic anyway). Now mostly feared due to demon/anko's wrath

SCB- Well, another chapter gone and done, and I think I touched on Anko's indecision about the children as well as some of the depths of her...uh...sadism I suppose. Still, I really did enjoy writing and coming up with that part...which somewhat scares me a little.

I'll be starting up a Naruto File to go along with my OC list, I plan on using it to keep track for major things that happen to Naruto through this story as I plan to have him as the other key character in this fic, so look for it in any chapter he appears in. It will contain the typical stuff such as age and up to and including whoever I decide to pair him with (something I already know but won't reveal just yet) but until then, mostly just stuff about him.

In any case, once again I hope for reviews that express opinions both helpful and informative to my work. (Read: Reviews that boost my ego to greater heights) but in reality I'd love some help with developing Jutsus either real or streamlining any I happen to make up. I could also use some help with getting the spelling right on most of my stuff, as I'm using subbed episodes I found on the net as reference.

Later people, and until next time.


	3. Team Zero Third Trust

Team Zero

by

Stray Cat Blues

I do not own Naruto or any characters therein, except for those of my own design

SBC- And welcome to another authors opening statement where me, the author, gets to try to convince you to stay around to read with my strange mixture of various styles and mad ravings in an attempt to decipher the hidden meaning.

I think at this point you the readers have realized that the way in which I write this is going to be a general bastard mix of an American version with slight Japanese flavorings, much like the author in some respects.

Anyway, if you've read this far I really hope you'll stick around for the rest, here's hoping you enjoy it!

P.S.- Chris and Davis if you read this, I TOLD you I'd put this up when I finished the third chapter, don't ever call bullshit on me again!

P.P.S- Ok fine, so I didn't get it out as soon as I finished the chapter...if my damn editor had done his job then it WOULD have been out then...call bullshit if you like but beware I do control your fates in this story!

P.P.P.S- Jesus Christ...this has got to be THE longest chapter I've ever written...I do apologize for any who read this and hate really long chapters like this.

And now (finally) for what you really came to see!

_Team Zero_

_Cheap flashback chapter #1 or Trip the memory lane fantastic!!_

Current Team Zero Status

Chris Mitarashi- Now 7 years old- wears a gray T shirt with black shorts- short unruly spiky light brown hair- Tallest/largest member of the team

Davis Mitarashi- Now 7 Years old- wears a dark green T shirt with black pants- Wears dark green bandanna over head-short blonde hair- Shortest/Smallest member of the team

Reese Mitarashi- Now 7 years old- wears a sky blue T shirt with matching pants- Wears a pair of goggles on forehead- Medium hair length straight Dark brown- Medium size/height

-----------------------------------------------------------------

( Team Zero, a new concept developed by both the Fourth Hokage and the Third Hokage, an experiment in using three foreign children of ninjas who lost their life in the war against Konoha seven years ago, an idea that these children would respond naturally with their hometown techniques as well as the ones Konoha provided and thus prove an unexpected surprise in Konoha's favor. Under the care of one Anko Mitarashi as both mother and teacher they have been given the somewhat harsh task of learning the ninja way at an even earlier age then most children would. Both teacher and student has had much to learn for this task, for Anko; studying what few techniques were known of the Rock, Rain and Grass villages. and for the children the basics of taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu that all ninja's must learn. It has been a rough year since Anko started their training at age six, but she has amazingly countered all the hard times the children have gone through by always being a warm and caring mother to them, anyone who knew Anko would have been amazed at how gentle and loving she had been with the children...of course due to her request no one yet knew of the children being hers, a weak cover story of her babysitting her missing sisters children was all that she told others when they went out in public, the most inquisitive were silenced by her stare which had the power to strike fear in almost any ninja, and the information lockdown implemented by the Third Hokage. In any case, Anko had indeed become a warm and caring mother to the children, yet even she had to dole out punishment once in a while...)

----------------------------------------------

_Village of Konoha_

_Anko's New Apartment _

_4 o'clock pm _

_CRASH!!!!_

"Mom, Reese broke your sake bottles again!!!"

"Chris you fink! tattletale! stool pigeon!!"

"YOU LITTLE PUNK I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

Davis Mitarashi simply rolled his eyes at his mothers yell, she wouldn't kill anyone or even hit them like some mothers would instead she'd just make Reese stay after tomorrows practice and run extra laps around Training Ground Zero. A special training ground set aside for them by the Hokage and built to their mothers exact specification. Most of course would call it a little slice of hell but Anko had declared it perfect for her sons to train in. Davis had to feel a little sorry for Reese, laps didn't just involve running...it involved running from large boulder covered in spikes that exploded on human contact, for thirty whole laps...

"THAT'S IT LITTLE MAN LAPS TOMORROW AFTER PRACTICE!!"

Wincing for his big brother Davis simply returned to his sky gazing, thinking it was much wiser to not even get involved or some of that anger might get taken out on him.

"Awww mom come on it was an accident...I'm really really sorry...please please not the laps again!!" pleaded the oldest (by two months) Reese, hoping for a small bit of pity in his mothers heart.

A slow grin and ,even to a child, a noticeable gleam in Anko's eye's shot that hope right out the window, but Reese always had a backup plan of sorts for these situations, after all he'd been the most troublesome of the bunch since before they could talk.

"Chris was standing right there and he didn't do anything to stop me! he totally like watched and didn't say anything to you or me...now is that fair? Reese tone changed from pleading to (as best as a seven year old could manage) a more reasoning tone. Reese knew that if he couldn't get out of the punishment then he was sure he wouldn't go down alone, fair or not.

"Oh ...well when you're right you're right Reese, I think someone needs extra shuriken dodging practice tomorrow..." A quick and meaningful look towards her other child sent the message in a hurry.

Chris, being the best behaved and self proclaimed leader of the Mitarashi brothers, shot a dirty look at Reese before looking at his mother with a subdued look " Yes mother"

"And just to make things fair, Davis you get to help them with both tasks"

"WHAT!?"

Anko grinned once more "You shoulda stuck up for your brothers, after all can't be a team with a teammate who isn't willing to stick with them through the bad times, so just consider this teamwork training for you"

A collective sigh emanated from the children as all three trudged towards their rooms in low spirits, tough training indeed...

"This is all your fault Reese, why did you have to try and taste her sake again, you KNOW she forbid it" whispered Chris as they entered their room

"Shut it mommas boy, I was just curious you know? see what she likes so much about the stuff" whispered back Reese

"You take that back you jerk!"

"Make me you bottle sucking baby!"

Davis just shook his head before flopping himself down on his bed. "Both of you idiots shut up before you make mom even madder, if you're smart you'll be quiet till she makes dinner"

The two brothers, fist's raised in the air ready to get into a fight over who was right, stopped and considered their youngest brothers words. Seeing the perfect (and most healthy) choice laid before them they lowered their fists and copied their brother in just laying on their own bed, each contemplating what tomorrow had in store for them and none of them liking it...

------------------------------------

Anko couldn't deny it anymore, she was extremely proud of her boys, after all not one of them had honestly tried to get out of their punishment (well except Reese but that was a given) and all three had accepted without much fuss (in front of her anyway). She figured she'd cut them some slack and remove the spikes from the boulder and perhaps set the shuriken launching machine on low, she'd also let them have whatever they wanted for dessert after tomorrow nights dinner. She knew how tough her training was but she also knew that her boys were tougher then most, after all with a mother like her they had to be!

Dinner wasn't till seven so she had a little bit of time to kill, except perhaps do something she once swore she'd never do. sitting in her favorite chair she reached under it and and with a few deft motions withdrew a photo album, now if anyone else saw Anko with a photo album they would be scared half to death of what horrible twisted things Anko would stop to take a picture for. Of course these people still didn't know that she had children and would succumb to the urge that all parents had and take pictures of her children through the years...

Naturally this calls for a few flashbacks...

--------------------------------------------------------

_Village of Konoha _

_Anko's Old Apartment _

_Six years ago..._

It had just been another day for Anko, a quick and dirty A level mission two days ago had given her the rest of the week off, something she was grateful for so that she could spend some time with her children. She had a...feeling... was all she could call it that perhaps today would be the day something unexpected happened...

Anko yawned as she slowly exited her room not finishing the thought, she had decided to sleep in and make up for the lack of sleep from the last mission. Quick and dirty didn't exactly mean she'd have the luxury of rest...such was the life of a ninja though and she completely accepted it. Making her way towards the kitchen to fix breakfast for her and the children she passed by their cribs, not really noticing that Reese was awake and watching her...

"Momma?"

A simple single word spoken in a innocent curious tone had the power to do what many now deceased ninja wished they could have done.

Stop Anko Mitarashi dead in her tracks.

She turned slowly towards the cribs with trepidation, surly she had just imagined that voice, she must still be groggy from just waking up and as far as she knew they were all asleep still. The sight of little Reese hanging onto the edge of his crib staring back at her gave her cause to smile, he was the little troublemaker, never staying to a schedule (even for a baby) and always trying to escape from his crib for some unfathomable reason.

Anko went over to his crib and picked him up giving him a warm wide smile that lacked any of her typical sarcasm or malice, "Awake again I see, since your up wanna help momma fix breakfast?" she said in a warm tone that no one outside her apartment ever heard.

Reese of course giggled and smiled back "Momma Momma"

Pleasant shock shot through Anko at these simple and innocently spoken words, she couldn't believe he was talking already! it had only been a month or so ago that they learned to crawl and now this...

A large and happy grin spread across Anko's face as she hugged Reese close to her, his first words in this world had been momma and they were directed at her, it was something that sent a powerful jolt of warm feelings coursing through her very veins. She only hoped that Davis and Chris started talking soon as well...

Reese, looking extremely pleased with himself, kept up what seemed a good thing. "Momma Momma Momma!"

Anko laughed lightly, a very pleasing and melodious sound that held none of the cynicism or pain she held for the world. "Ok you little scamp, keep it down or you'll wake your brothers..lets go make that breakfast hmm" she ended this statement by lightly ruffling her oldest's hair and heading towards the kitchen...

------------------------------------------------

_Modern Day.._

Such a happy memory that, Anko couldn't really match it with anything else in her life before she took on the children...little Reese had been so proud of himself that he soon learned many...many...many more words. she was grateful that her son was so articulate and intelligent, like any mother she was always proud of him for it.

Of course some of the words he learned tended to get him in as much trouble as they got him out of but that was a given and something she had put her foot down on, hypocrite or not, no one but Anko swore in her household and that was final...

Of course she had certain memory's of each of her boys, she didn't have many photos of the exact times but some of the one's she took couldn't help but remind her of the time Chris...

--------------------------------------------------------------

_Konoha Public Playgrounds_

_3 Years Ago..._

It was a shame when the adults of a powerful clan let their ego spill over to their young ones, even those at such an early age, of course some kids didn't need any encouragement to be spoiled brats...

Anko reflected on this as she watched her kids play at one of the local playgrounds, of course she kept herself hidden in the trees, safe from the prying eyes of the villagers. It served a duel purpose as she seemed to fill the other kids (not to mention the adults) with unease when she was in plain view and it added credence to her cover story of just looking after her boys for her non existent sister. As long as she could keep an eye on them and their younger playmate Uzumaki Naruto, she was just fine were she was.

Of course she'd keep them safe from damn near anything that came their way...well except for certain other children.

One Uchiha Sasuke, terror of the playgrounds despite his young age for his bullying ways and general disdain for anyone he deemed unfit to share his sandbox. It was unfortunate that the rare times he crossed paths with the young Naruto it often led to open war.

A shadow fell upon the four happy young ones, spoiling their tunnel/castle project in the sand (Anko had preformed a low level water jutsu to make the sand just wet enough) all four turned towards the caster of the shadow and immediately the good cheer they felt evaporated.

"You're in my sandbox" was all the youngest heir to the Ucchia said.

"It's not your's you jerk, its public prop...prop..." The now standing Naruto turned to his best friend Reese for help on the hard word

"Property"

"Yeah that, so just go play somewhere else ya bully" Exclaimed the young blonde

"Make me dobe" and with that Sasuke stepped forward giving all the intent of pushing around a certain loud mouth.

From her perch in the tree's Anko sighed, it was almost always like this...Sasuke seemed to be a good kid most of the time but whenever he got around her boys or Naruto he tended to become a real brat. she was about to leap down and give him a scolding when Chris stood in between the two.

"Sasuke, if you push our friend we're going to push you right back...I don't care how good you think you are but don't think you can take on all three Mitarashi brothers at the same time. But if you're going to start, start with me...Now go find another sandbox to play in" Chris's words though spoken as a threat were conveyed in a soft reasoning tone, one that he had quickly learned to take when fixing disputes between Reese and Davis.

Sasuke simply stared at the four of them for awhile then with a "Whatever you losers..." he simply turned and walked away, leaving the friends in peace once more.

"Man that guy really burns me up..." Said Naruto

"Yeah...what a jerk" Agreed Reese

"Good job big brother, how'd you do it?" inquired Davis to his older brother Chris

"It was nothing guys...come on lets get back to building before the sand all drys up!" With this order the friends once again resumed their construction efforts as though nothing had really interrupted them.

From the tree's Anko couldn't help but smile a motherly pride type smile, after all her boy had just stood up to one of the biggest bullies of the playground and had managed to keep anyone from getting hurt. She was proud they her boy had used words first but was ready to back them up with action, he was acting much more mature then most kids his age...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

_Modern Day_

Anko still smiled at that day, after all it had proved to be a trend that Chris would act the most mature and responsible of the three, well for a seven year old anyway. She didn't want him to grow up too fast...

It was a damn shame what had happened to young Sasuke, he may have been a bit of a brat but no one deserved to have their entire family taken away by their big brother in one horrible night...she hadn't really seem him since that day...he had never returned to that playground.

Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts she flipped the page in her album one more time, coming to the more recent pictures. She smiled again as she came upon the one time she HAD gotten a picture of that certain memory with Davis...

-------------------------------------------------------------

_The "Usual Spot" _

_Konoha, Ichiraku ramen stand _

_One year ago_

Naruto was glad that he had such a good friend as Reese, they had been looking out for each other since for as long as he could remember, and when he had offhandedly remarked that he hadn't seen their mutual friend Hinata Hyuuga in weeks Reese had gotten a look in his eyes that spelled trouble. Of course Naruto wanted to be a part of whatever he was planning but all Reese would tell him was to wait by their "Usual Spot" which of course meant the old man's ramen stand where they first met Hinata about a year ago.

It had been awkward at first with the young girl simply blushing and stuttering alot everytime Naruto tried to speak with her, he had been ready to just chalk her up as a weird shy girl and leave when Reese had stepped in and helped Hinata convey what she was trying to say. Which was that she wanted to be friends with them, had wanted to be friends with them for a while but was always to shy and nervous to actually go up and speak to the often rowdy pair. And the rest they would soon say was history, the three had enjoyed the rest of the day together before Hinata was forced to part with them, with the promise they'd see each other again

Naruto grinned as the happy memory washed over him, they had become good friends with her and every chance they got all three could be found hanging out together...

That was until Hinata's father found out she was friends with Naruto and Reese, ever since the news reached his ears he had added a confusing mix of trouble to the newly formed trio, sometimes Hinata was allowed out and if she just so happened to meet with them (not much of a accident as she actively sought out her only friends) was left alone to play and yet other times she was locked up tight in the compound, not allowed to go out. The only thing that was a constant was that neither of them were allowed near the compound either as a pair or separately. Naruto didn't know what the old man's problem was with him or Reese but he knew it was making his friend Hinata sad, and that was something that bothered him extremely...

_"Still" _Thought Naruto as he glanced next to him at the now smiling Hyuuga princess "_If I had known he was going to stage a jailbreak I'd have gone with him, by the sound of those alarms he must have set the place on fire or something!" _

But at lest Hinata had gotten out and was now free to do what she wanted and with whom, Naruto always felt bad for his friend...he couldn't imagine having almost everything about your life controlled. But it didn't seem so bad now that she was friends with him and Reese, she had stopped stuttering and blushing all the time, she even told people what was on her mind and let voice her opinion if she felt strongly about the subject (and when she was around Naruto and Reese), of course she was still shy around new people and fairly quiet even around her friends but she was far improved from when she was younger.

_"I'd hate to think what she'd be like if she didn't have any friends...well friends like us anyway" _He couldn't help give his trademark grin back at her. The shy and quiet Hyuuga heiress best friends with the two most troublesome and loudest kids in Konoha, perhaps the oddest group of friends to walk the streets of the leaf village

Hinata's voice broke his musings "Say Naruto-kun...I'm worried about Reese...I know my father will be angry and last I saw him he was being chased by some branch members...perhaps we should go look for him?" Her smile was gone as worry sunk in about her other friend.

"Hey don't worry Hinata-chan, if there's one person who can take care of himself it's my buddy Reese, why I bet he's already lost those goons and is on his way here as we speak" Naruto stated with utter confidence in his voice, they had been dodging adults ever since they started trying to prank some of the more stuffy grownups of the city and were experts at it by now.

"I just hope you're right Naruto-kun..."

--------------------------------------------

_Random Konoha Alleyway _

_Near Hyuuga clan grounds_

_Same time as above events._

"Of all the rotten luck..." Reese had to keep himself from swearing the few swear words he knew, though in his mind the situation definitely called for it. "The next time I come up with another plan like this I'm going to have Chris club me over the head and tie me up..."

Oh it wasn't that it was a bad plan he mused, it was in fact genius and had come off without a hitch. He and Naruto missed seeing Hinata and he knew that she felt the same, the problem being that her family was basically keeping her locked up in the compound. Enter the superior intellect of one Reese Mitarashi, keeping Naruto at the meeting place to greet her he swiftly made his way to the Hyuuga compound. It was a simple thing to study the routes of the guards on duty and move accordingly (he had been lucky that the guards hadn't been using the Byakugan at that moment) before long he was at Hinata's window. An easy climb for a (Still in training) ninja later and he was at her window knocking.

The rest of the plan was just as simple, she'd make a run for it while he made a alot of noise to attract attention on himself giving her time to get away...

That part of the plan had worked too well.

Hinata had more then made good on his distraction and was long gone, the only good part of part B of his plan. However he'd managed to bring almost the whole compound down on him, only the fact that they thought he was some inexperienced punk and his mothers training saved him that time. He'd been able to get out of the compound and lose most of his captors...

All but the two that had been tailing him since he hit the streets, and despite his keen tactical mind he'd managed somehow to run right into a dead end. He didn't have to turn around to know they had entered into the alleyway behind him, he'd gotten even more unlucky by running into the ONE ally in Konoha whose fence was too high for him to jump and that there were no clear treebranchs within reach. "Well the best laid plans of mice and men they say...time to see if skillful negotiation abilities will work"

Reese turned around and put on his biggest most winning smile and tried too look as happy as though he just won the Konoha lottery. "Gentlemen, how are you this fine and lovely day now ...what can I help you wi...urk!"

He didn't get much further as the largest of the two pursuers reached out and picked him up by his shirt collar, the look in his eyes was clear enough, no talking his way outta this one.

"Listen here you punk, you tell us what you've done with Miss Hinata right this moment or by god I swear I'll break both your legs!!!"

Reese gulped nervously, the slime ball meant what he said and despite all the training he had undergone he was still outmatched AND outnumbered. his mind raced as he tried to think of anything at all that would get him out of the situation with both legs intact.

"Oi!, Hyuuga scum, why don't you pick on someone your own size... like a stray dog or something?"

The taunt was more then sufficient to draw both Hyuuga goons attention to the treetops where a young blonde sat in the trees.

It also gave the blonde a prefect chance to launch a small pebble into the right eye of the man holding Reese, something that he took full advantage of.

The man grabbed at his eye while at the same time letting Reese go, who promptly gained as much distance from the man as he possibly could, which wasn't far but better then hanging by his shirt collar.

"Davis what are you doing here!?"

The youngest Mitarashi brother simply shot his older brother a grin before turning his attention back to the now livid pair of Hyuugas

"You little prick, I'll kill you for that ya hear me!!" yelled the one who had taken the rock in the eye.

"Woah hey calm down man..." the smallest one started to look around nervously "You have any idea what _she _will do to us if we hurt her nephews...I don't want to end up like Shinichi man...no way"

Davis snorted as he readied his retort."You jerks touch my brother again and I'll kill you myself, no reason to drag my mo..aunt into this"

"Big words for a half pint, you're even smaller then that brat over there, what can you do to us?" challenged the larger man.

"Buy time" was all Davis said .

"Wha??" confused the larger man looked around and finally noticed that his prey had long since flown the coop, looking up he discovered the second kid was gone as well, leaving him and his partner empty handed and looking the fools for being tricked by two kids.

"Goddammit!!!" was all he could shout in the mockingly empty alleyway.

----------------------------------------------------

_A short time later..._

"They gone?" a voice whispered seemingly from the fence.

"Yeah the coast is clear" whispered back a voice from the trees

In a flash a tree colored sheet and a generic fence looking sheet dropped and reveled both Mitarashi brothers still in the alleyway, Reese grinned as his little brother lept from the trees and into the alley with him. "Hey little bro, thanks for the rescue but I gotta ask, how did ya find me?"

Davis, his face it's typical somber self once more, shook his head. "When they raised the alarm at the Hyuuga compound I took a random guess that it was you and Naruto again and headed this way..."

"Ha ha ha ha, well I'm glad you guessed right, though this was a solo job this time"

"Yeah I know, me and Chris were passing by the raman stand as we headed towards the compound, he noticed Naruto sitting there with Hinata and pretty much guessed the rest...he's standing guard there now so those two can enjoy the day without worrying about getting caught"

"Well I'm grateful little bro, you really saved my butt back there and I owe ya one"

Davis sighed "You can pay me back by being more responsible for once and to stop ru.."

Reese cut him off by placing him in a friendly little headlock. "What? be more responsible? thats Chris's gig and you know it little bro, lighten up a bit eh hahahha"

"Ah big brother stop it! If you don't stop I'm going to get you back!"

"Ha ha ha ha just try it"

Their mixed laugher echoed through the seemingly empty alleyway, as the two brothers begin to wrestle in the way siblings do.

Neither brother heard the click of a camera going off...

--------------------------------------------------------------

_Modern Day. _

Anko smiled at the photo, she had taken it just as Davis got out of the headlock and started to retaliate, but it wasn't the picture itself that made her smile, it was how proud she was of her youngest. How he had rushed to his brothers aid without a second pause or hesitation. She had been worried about him up to that point because he seemed like such a loner outside of the practice area and she figured it would be tough for him to function as part of the team but that day had showed her Davis's true team spirit in and out of the training grounds...

Her children had just begun their training that year when that happened, having covered nothing more then the basics like shuriken practice and tree jumping as well as using their chakra to enhance their physical abilities such as jumping and running. Using the cameo sheets to hide had been the latest thing they had learned and she was very proud of the fact they had used it with such success.

Oh she'd been there alright and saw everything that had happened in the alleyway, that awesome radar ability all mothers had in relation to her children (It had amazed her the first time it went off) and the general chaos and noise coming from the Hyuuga compound had led her to the same conclusions of her youngest, she had easily found Reese and when the large fool had threatened to break his legs she had been ready for some major bloodletting. She had drawn her kunai and was taking aim when she heard Davis land nearby her.

It had been worth it to see what Davis would do, the two Hyuugas got out alive (she'd been disappointed at the time) and her boys had gotten away mostly unscathed. They suffered more in their daily training then they had on that day and it gave her a sense of pride to know that perhaps mere months later Reese would have been able to handle himself enough to have gotten out of that situation with ease.

It brought back the time she first showed them where they would be training to become ninjas for the very first time...

---------------------------------------------------

_Training Ground Zero _

_Village of Konoha _

_One year ago_

_6:00 A.M _

_"May the Kami bless that old man, he even got the giant man eating snakes I asked for!" _

Anko's smile was from ear to ear as she took in the wonderful sight before her...

Training Ground Zero was a place specifically created and made for the development of Team Zero (or it's future to be more accurate). This being a special project of two Hokage's meant that the funding and effort put into creating the ultimate training ground that would accommodate perhaps a new generation of Konoha nin was given no limit.

This place was designed to test the hearts of shinobi like never before.

This place was designed with much input from one of the (still) most twisted kounichi of the leaf.

This place was designed for the sole purpose of taking three people and turning them into awesome killing machines.

Naturally the subjects in question were still very young boys who were just starting their training, and the fact of the matter was that most of the training ground was a death trap for trained ninjas much less three kids who didn't know a shuriken from a kunai and weren't likely to last more then a minute in the multiple environment obstacle courses or the multitude of traps that tested a nins chakra control as well as physical ability. Not to mention the vast array of deadly or poisonous wildlife that had been transported to their appropriate obstacle courses, the giant man eating snakes not withstanding there were several painful ways to die horribly in Training Ground Zero even for a fully trained ninja.

Naturally there were several non lethal areas as well, places to practice the basics and learn to control chakra without havening to worry about getting eaten by something in the trees or traps being sprung.

There was a section of the forest "zone" that was cordoned off from the (deadly) wildlife to aid in various plant jutsus both advanced and basic until the user felt confident enough to test them under "adverse" conditions.

A small but strong river ran through the training ground as well, perfect place to test water jutsus of any kind as well as a place to test physical endurance.

A region of the grounds was covered with large rocks and bare earth, yet another place to test ground type jutsus, it also served as a great taijutsu training ground.

There were several other areas as well all various in their ability to kill their user but all with one single purpose in mind.

To help train the best damn ninja that Konoha would ever see.

This was Anko's dream, it was a combination of her desires as a mother to see her children be something great and as her pride as a ninja of the leaf to add to her villages prestige and power. She had been trained by a sannin (the strongest of the three in fact) and though she hated him and everything he had done to her in this life, she couldn't deny he taught her well. She was well versed in ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu, she knew many styles and techniques of the aforementioned though she showed no overwhelming strength in any one category unlike some of her peers.

Her great strength perhaps was the same as her teacher, she picked up on new jutsus quickly and mastered them just as fast with enough competence to teach them to others, this was one of the reasons that the Third had picked her for this mission. She also knew more then a few forbidden techniques as well as those dealing specifically with snakes though she was under orders not to teach them.

_"Which suits me just fine" _Anko thought grimly as she surveyed the area once more _"My boys will not go through the same things I did in order to learn those" _

Turning around she went back towards the entrance gate to the training ground, she had left the boys there under the care of the ANBU guards so she could check it out one last time making sure it was ready...

This was to be their first official day of training!

The first day towards the creation of Team Zero!

Anko passed through the gate nodding towards the ANBU guards and motioned for her children to follow her through the gate "Come on, time for you guys to see where you'll be spending most of your days from now on" at that she turned and went back beyond the gate.

Chris, Reese and Davis looked at each other nervously, this place gave them some seriously bad vibes. To start off with it was in a entirely deserted part of Konoha, (near were the Uchiha compound used to be in fact) they couldn't even tell what was beyond the gate anyway because of the five story high wall that surrounded the grounds and the two guys dressed in black carrying weapons and weird masks that hid their face didn't make it any more appealing.

Little did the boys know that all this was done entirely for them though it was doubtful if they could have appreciated it at the time...

The area around were the now defunct Uchiha had their compound was considered a unlucky place for several reasons. The most notable was when Itachi had slaughtered every clan member there except his brother, it was only natural that many thought that the place was haunted with the ghosts of the slain members. Another good reason was that was the direction the Kyuubi had come from before committing itself to attack the village, finally the place was just plain creepy with the compound ruins being so close by.

Those reasons were what kept most of the villagers away.

Throw in that the Hokage had declared the area closed to all ninja but those of the ANBU and the engineering-nins who were sent in to build the training grounds in the first place, both groups of which swore a mighty oath not to reveal any of this on pain of death.

Now one cannot hide the fact that a training ground of this scope and complexity is being built, however one _can_ insure that it's true purpose remain hidden by allowing a few choice rumors or misconceptions fly about.

Thus was the construction and true purpose of Training Ground Zero mired in mystery and intrigue within the ninja ranks, though none dared satisfy their curiosity, the Hokage had placed the strictest punishment for any save those ANBU sent to guard the area who dared go.

And the members and trainer of the future Team Zero naturally.

Of course all this the boys did not know...

All _they_ knew was that their mother had dragged them out of their nice warm beds at six in the morning and sent them on a hike across town and to some deserted place in the middle of nowhere, sat them on a bench next to the guard station at the gate to whatever the hell those tall walls hid from view and told to to be quiet and wait while she disappeared beyond said gate for about ten minutes.

"Whatever...lets just get this over with" stated Davis as he followed after their mother.

"Aww come on..." moaned the eldest brother.

Chris just simply sighed and followed them.

--------------

"So what do you boys think eh?" Declared Anko Mitarashi with obvious pride in her voice her back to her boys "Brings a tear to your eye doesn't it?"

Silence was all that answered her

Put off by the lack of enthusiasm by her pseudo-offspring she turned to what she hopped to see was stunned admiration.

Of course life is always full of those little disappointments.

Davis shuffled around nervously, which was highly unlike him, and tended to avoid eye contact with anything but the ground, his face held a worried look that said "So this is how it ends?"

Chris remained stock still and desperately tried to keep any signs of emotion from his face, though he did a poor job, his left eye twitched like he had a nervous tic and he seemed to be sweating despite the coolness of the early morning air.

Reese had his right hand over his eyes as though he was too afraid to look anymore and seemed to be mumbling under his breath about how he must be having some sort of nightmare but was really safe asleep in his bed.

"Problems?"

Peeking through his fingers Reese fixed a stare on his mother."Yeah...I want ta live!"

"Don't be a smart ass!!" Anko exclaimed shaking her fist at her eldest.

"Ummm...mother...isn't this place...?"

"Isn't this place what?"

Chris coughed nervously before going on."Don't you think maybe...we're not ready for this place?"

"Do you think maybe we're not ready to die yet!!" cried out Reese using his right hand now to return the fist shake.

Anko stomped over to her eldest and held her hand over his mouth to stifle any more comments. "I thought I told you not to be a smart ass!"

"He's got a point mom..." chimed in Davis

"What point!?" she replied "I thought you all wanted to be ninjas...you can't be ninjas if you're not willing to take a little risk!"

Reese tried to say something again through his mothers hand but quickly put an end to it after being given the "last warning" stare.

"Yeah but mother...can't we go to a normal training ground first...doesn't this all seem to advanced for us?" questioned Chris, hoping to appeal to his mothers sanity

"No..."

All three boys sighed and hung their head.

Anko let go of Reese's mouth and took a few steps back before turning her back to them.

"I'm sorry..but thats just not possible..your training must be an absolute secret"

"Why?" that was Chris again

It was fortunate that they couldn't see the look on their mothers face.

"_If I told them the whole truth then...but to lie to them like this.." _

A war raged across Anko's mind, on one hand she had never lied to her boys about anything major and she didn't want to ever...her relationship with her own parents had been built on lies to say nothing of her time with her mentor Orochimaru...

Ok strike that first part...

She had lied about many many major things to her sons, she had known it was only time before they questioned her on certain things like who their father was or her past. She didn't want them to know that she wasn't their real mother, that she had no idea who their real parents were. And forget ever telling them of Orochimaru and what she had done as his apprentice and accomplice.

Their love for her meant far to much to lose it to such details of her life.

She had scoffed when the Hokage had said as much, that she would learn a new kind of fear and that was of losing them forever. And it was such a powerful quiet fear too, something she had never experienced in her life...

_"It kills me inside everytime to lie to them...but for them to think less of me...for them to no longer love me..." _

Anko released a long sigh as she prepared once again to dig her self deeper.

"You're special because you're my boys...because you're going to be part of a new project to determine if truly talented boys without a bloodline limit should be allowed to be trained earlier"

Of course this was a half truth which would hold up unless...

"Uh...that really doesn't make much sense mom...why_ US_ again??"

Anko swore internally over Reese's insatiable curiosity, she didn't want to reveal this to anyone, but it was her only way out and better this then telling them the actual truth...

She turned around and and dropped to one knee beside her eldest who just had to have a further explanation.

Smiling gently she placed one hand on his shoulder and looked him square in the eye. "Because I want you boys to prove the value of my existence"

That got her their undivided attention as well as even more confusion. Their mother had never seemed to give a damn what anyone seemed to think of her and always looked like she lived her life to the fullest and in the moment, always daring and never caring about anything except them and being a ninja.

Motioning for both Chris and Davis to come closer she started to explain what would best be called a semi confessional.

"You see, the Mitarashi's have never had some fancy or cool bloodline limit that could distinguish us amongst the shinobi world...and as a matter of a fact a large portion of ninja's share our fate"

She shook her head as she placed her other hand on Chris squeezing his shoulder ever so slightly.

"But people like us get pushed to the side by the Hyuugas and the Uchiha's and even lesser clans like the Innuzakas or Naras..."

She then locked her eyes square with her youngest, seeing his growing understanding of what she was trying to say.

"I want you boys to do what I couldn't when I was your age...I want you to prove it doesn't matter what the hell clan you were born in, it only matter's how hard you work and how much passion you have in your heart to be a powerful ninja"

She bowed her head to keep her children from seeing the lone tear that escaped her eyes, this whole cover story was becoming less and less of a cover all the time. It was bringing back memories of her youth...

Of times when she had been overlooked as a genin because she was on the same team as a Hyuuga...

Of times when she was always thought less of despite all her training and success...

Of the times of despair when it seemed like she would never be recognized for her talents...

Of the times before Orochimaru came into her life...

"No...I don't want you to just prove you're just as good as them...I want you to prove you're better...I want..."

She was stopped mid plea by a simple yet significant action on her children's part

Chris had grasped her hand and was holding it in his smaller ones tightly nodding to her words...

Davis had moved in and placed one hand on her right cheek, smiling into her eyes..

Reese held her other hand next to his heart and gave her a lopsided grin that always spelled trouble..

"Mother say no more!" said Chris Mitarashi.

"He's right Mom, you don't need to cry anymore" stated Davis Mitarashi in a gentle tone.

"Hey, we're here for you Mom, if us becoming the most awesome ninjas in the village is you're dream..." trailed off Reese Mitarashi.

"Then we swear right here and now!"

"To do everything we can to help you achieve that dream!"

"No matter what!!"

"..."

Anko Mitarashi was a woman who had stared death in the face too many times to count in her life and had brutally killed many men and woman in the line of her profession without batting an eye. A kounichi who had seen and done horrific things that would send lesser people to a nut house for life.

This woman was stunned by three young boys who had just given their lives and futures to her without a second thought.

It was the second greatest gift that had ever been given to her in her whole life.

The first being that she was ever allowed to become their mother...

She did the only thing a battle hardened ninja could do in that situation.

She did her best to gather all three of her boys into one gigantic hug and buried her face into the nearest shoulder and cried tears of happiness, quietly saying over and over how much she loved them with all her heart as she felt her boys return the hug without hesitation.

It was indeed the truth birth of Team Zero that day...

--------------------------------------------------

_Modern Day_

_Anko's apartment _

_6:30 P.M._

That had been a very emotional day for her, and she was very glad it had been shared somewhere private. Naturally after all the formalities and the tours of the training grounds was done she took aside the ANBU guards at the gate and threatened castration of them _AND_ their future sons if they ever told a soul about what they had heard.

It worked like a charm...like it always did.

The fear of Anko was strong indeed.

She had made them make one more promise as they went home that evening, in preparation for tomorrows real first day of training.

She made them swear not to reveal their training no matter what until she told them the time was right, the secrecy of the project demanded nothing less.

They had again agreed without any hesitation, trusting her completely.

She had almost broken down again.

Even now, a year later sitting in her living room she could feel stirrings from that moment, it touched her deeply to know that the boys loved her, truly loved her to the point of going so far to make an old and abandoned dream of hers come true...

Simply to make their mother happy.

A small voice in the back of her head told her that perhaps, secure in this knowledge, she could finally tell them the truth of their parentage and that they would still love her, still see her as their mother.

_"I've lied to them so much...perhaps I should..."_

Then that old fear struck once again at her heart, as accurate and deadly as any foe's shuriken.

So she locked away that thought in her "If I don't think about it, then it won't/didn't happen" file that she used for some of her most vivid memories of service with the snake.

Anko returned her scrapbook to it's hiding place in the underside of the chair and sat up and stretched, She'd make a good hearty meal for her boys in anticipation for tomorrow, it still surprised her how well she had taken to cooking...

_"If anyone had ever told me I'd be cooking for a family of four ..."_

Smiling lightly she entered into the kitchen, the sacred domain of all mothers since the dawn of time...

------------------------------------

_The Next Day _

_Short time after Mitarashi training hours..._

Naruto Uzumaki loved afternoons for the simple fact that it was when his best friend Reese was available to hang out and do stuff with him. It was also a great time to make jokes at his friends expense when he came from his mother's training all beat up and dirty. Naruto knew it was ninja training just as he knew Anko was Reese's mother. There were few secrets between the two friends, though Reese made him swear on the all holy ramen special at ichiraku not to tell a single soul.

And so he would wait by a fountain in a secluded place that was often devoid of people until Reese would either come walking up whistling some mindless tune and greet him with a hearty slap on the back or slowly limp his way up to him until he collapsed in a heap next to Naruto...

Grinning his typical foxy grin complete with his trademark squint at his best friend, Naruto had to hold back the laughter as his friend with a much suffering groan sat down next to him. Covered in both dirt, sweat, and a fair amount of dried blood from already tended wounds, Reese looked like he had just fought a couple of tigers and lost the match.

"Soooo..."

"Couldn't...outrun...boulder...last lap..."

"Ah"

Cue six seconds later and Naruto has howling with laughter at the withering glare his friend shot him at his noncommittal reply to his suffering.

"Can it you punk, you wouldn't be laughing if you had to do this everyday" grunted Reese as Naruto's laughter started to die down.

"Yeah well, I'm sure it will be like this when we get into the academy so you'll have plenty of time to get me back"

"HA, you bet I will, the academy stuff will be cakewalk compared to what me and my bro's are doing now!"

Laughing once again Naruto handed his buddy a rice ball he had been saving for him, to which the brown haired boy gladly accepted and began munching on.

It was their typical routine, come rain or shine or even how badly beaten up Reese was, that Naruto would make fun of his friend before handing him something to snack on while they chatted and joked before it was time he went home for dinner, often Reese invited Naruto to accompany him back home to eat with his family,It was something that the young Uzumaki enjoyed immensely. Though he lived on his own now with his own apartment set up by the Hokage, he thought well of Anko as she always greeted him a smile. Other then old man Hokage and Hinata they were the only people who didn't either treat him with fear or outright hate him.

They always welcomed him into their home and always made him feel like one of them, that whatever made the people of the village hate and fear him didn't exist...

It was the closest thing to a family he had ever known.

It was something he was extremely grateful for.

The two friends sat in comfortable silence that only served to enhance the calm and peace of the deserted square, each boy's thoughts turned towards the near future. The academy was barely a year away and it had overjoyed Naruto to know that not only would the Mitarashi boys be in the same class as him but his other good friend Hinata Hyuuga would also be in attendance. To the blonde loudmouth, the chance to learn the ninja arts coupled with being able to hang out with all his important people every day was a godsend. He would finally be able to start on the road to achieving his dream, it was a secret that he hadn't even told Reese for fear of his friend teasing him, he wanted to be the next Hokage because...

A sharp whistle cut through the air and disrupted both the peace and Naruto's train of thought

Looking up both boys saw the middle child of the Mitarashi brothers waving at them as he approached/limped. Chris had obviously fared better then Reese had but still carried his share of bruises and cuts. Still despite it all he carried his own cheerful grin of his own as he approached them.

"Hey guy's, Aunt Anko sent me to get Reese for dinner but said you were welcome to join us tonight Naruto" Stated Chris as he stopped in front of his brother.

Reese of course had never bothered to let his family know that Naruto was in the know about what was supposed to be a closely guarded secret from the public, he knew better then to risk the "punishment" his mother promised if they ever let it slip.

Even if she did like Naruto...

"What's she making?" was the blonde's only question

"Tonight's ramen night..."

"Nuff said!"

With a grin ten miles wide, Naruto lept to his feet and gave his best bud a hearty slap on the back to encourage him to get up faster, this caused an anguished moan from the eldest Mitarashi as his "best friend" struck a sore spot on his back.

"Gah...you jerk..."

Both Chris and Naruto laughed as they helped the most wounded member of their group to his feet, Chris lent his brother a shoulder to lean on as they began to slowly make their way back home.

A soft click, like the sound of a camera going off, went unnoticed by the trio as they continued on their way...

_"Ah the memories...Kami, I'm going soft around these kids..." _

Anko resolved to make the next training session twice as tough as before to compensate.

In two different parts of Konoha, three young boys suddenly shivered despite the warmth in the air...

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SBC- And here we go, the third chapter of _Team Zero_ this one took me a long time to get out because of...technical difficulties in the creative process. Anyway if you've stuck around this long to read this then I really do appreciate it, writing is two parts I like to think, one for the writer and the other for the people who happen to like it. As you can guess I'm going to have the academy days for Naruto go a lot differently then before, there won't be any dead last this time around for our main man though he'll still be a general pain in the ass for those like Sasuke or teachers like Iruka (with his good buddy Reese of course and maybe a little bit of the new improved Hinata), so look for two parts (might even split into mini chapters) if any of y'all got questions or comments, you know how to reach me by reviewing, Stray Cat Blues out.

P.S After writing the OC info, I suddenly decided to write a Hinata info list, she's one of my fave girls and as I've indicated in this chap she's not going to be quite the same quiet mouse as she is in the anime, so I'll put that up and any other changes that might occur...as a added note, anyone who can draw out there is more then welcome to draw me and my friends characters or the slightly changed designs I might add to the non OC's, (if I don't mention anything as is the case of Naruto then their unchanged from the anime) it'd really give my friends a kick in ass to have them drawn and posted on the net or any kind of artwork for this story for that matter, anyway SCB out (for real this time)

Post Chapter Character Info

Naruto Uzamaki- 7 years old- bearer of the nine tailed demon fox Kyuubi-His cheerful and troublesome nature is more of a natural thing this time around then a desperate cry of a attention despite the fact the majority of the village still looks on him with hate and fear-Has formed strong friendships with both Reese Mitarashi and Hinata Hyuuga

Hinata Hyuuga- 7 years old- Heir to Hyuuga main house- looks basically the same from anime though with longer hair/bangs- Wears a pair the same goggles on her forehead as Reese and Naruto (only when around them)- More confident around people thanks to the influence of her best friends Naruto/Reese, still gets nervous around others like her father when her friends are not present- - Fiercely protective of her friends and will staunchly defend them against any who badmouth them in front of her (except her father).

Post Chapter OC Info

Large Hyuuga Goon - Now known as "Patches"- Hyuuga branch member with no training whatever in the ninja arts or in the families bloodline thus unable to use Byakugan , more akin to a beer joint brawler- More or less Slim's boss- Has a burning desire for revenge on Reese/Davis Mitarashi- Now demoted to toilet scrubber due to failure to capture the intruders in the Hyuuga Compound- Utterly devoted to "Miss. Hinata".

Small Hyuuga Goon- Now known as "Slim"- Hyuuga branch member has even less combat skills then Patchs, thus none- Has the fear of Anko in him- Does whatever "Patchs" tells him- Demoted to toilet cleaner along with Patchs-Also utterly devoted to Hinata.


End file.
